The act or process of placing two things side by side to show their differences clearly.
From contrast (from Latin contra- 'against' + stare 'to stand') plus the suffix -ment, which forms nouns from verbs. The word developed in English during the 17th century to describe the action of contrasting.
This word is rarely used today, but it shows how English speakers once turned the verb 'contrast' into a noun to describe the very act of comparison—similar to how 'judgment' comes from 'judge.' You'll find it mostly in old art criticism and philosophy texts.
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